Fuel agitator for gas producers



H. A. DREFFEIN FUEL AGITATOR FOR GAS PRODUCERS Filed Oct. l2, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet l .l a# 2Z\ f .54'0 J6 ik l il 6 WITNESS.'

Mm 27:. R25. LSZM H. A. DREFFIEIN FUEL AGITATOR FOR GAS PRODUCERS Filed Oct. l2, 1918 2 Shwcm-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 27, 19.25. l

l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

HENRY A. DREFFEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FUEL AGITATOR FO'R GAS PRODUCERS.

Application led ctober 12, 1918. Serial No. 257,906.

T0 all whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. DRErFEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing atp Chicago, in the county of Cook and State\ of Illinois, have invented certain new and gas producers, and its purpose is to provide a tamper and spreader of novel form for spreading the fuel and maintaining the fuel bed in a solid condition by preventing the occurrence of blow-holes andthe caking of the fuel. An important object of the invention is to providewa differential tamper and spreader for automatically spreading and tamping the fuel. Another object isA to provide an improved stirring device actuated by automatic driving means of novel design. Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specication taken with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment is illustrated.

In the drawings- Figure 1 shows a vertical section through the upper part of a gas producer taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged top plan view of the driving mechanism with a portion thereof removed;

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged vertical section through the upper end of the vertical stem of the stirring device; and

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line l--t of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a 'horizontal section through the supporting bracket.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the I agitator stem lin a plane just above the rotation effecting ratchet.

In the accompanying drawings, vI have illustrated theinvention as applied to a gas producer having a shell or casing 10, consisting of a steel outer wall lined with firebrick, or the like, provided with a downwardly converging lower portion 10a resting upon a suitable bed 11 containing the usual water seal, and other parts which do not forma part of the present invention.

The brick-work in the upper portion of the shell is inclined'lupwardly and inwardly, as shown at 12,,and a gas flue or chimney outlet is provided at 13. The upper end of the shell is closed by the upper wall 14:, by

which the parts forming the present invention are supported. Suitable conical poke holes 15 are provided in the upper wall, one of these being shown in Fig. 1, for example, and these holes are normally closed by removable caps 16. Fuel is introduced into thel gas producer through la hopper 17, whlch extends through the upper wall and 1s provided with a fuel-distributing gate v18 suspended in the lower portion thereof on a rod 19, which is pivotally connected at 1ts upper end to one end of the lever 20, carrying the counterbalancing weightv 21. The upper surface of the gate 18 is inclined inwardly toward the center of the producer,

vso that the" fuel passing therethrough is automatically directed toward the center of the fuel bed, which isv designated by the numeral 22.

'. For the purpose of stirring the fuel bed 22, and maintaining the same in a solid condition, I have provided a stirring 'device 25 comprising the oppositely directed or radiating arms 26 carried at the lower end of a vertically-extending rod or stem 27.

The arms 26 are provided with encircling bands 28 which aretapered, as shown, to provide sharp projections to extend downwardly into the fuel bed. rIhe vertical rod or stem 27 of the stirring device extends through a bearing sleeve 29 which is carried by a metal frame or casting 30 seated in the upper wall 14 and forming a. support for the hopper 17 which opens therethrough. The stem 27 is provided with two concentric ducts 27X, 27y extending therethrough and communicating with similar concentric duct-s in the radiating arms 26. Cold water or some other cooling medium is sup-plied 'to the central duct 27l of the stem 27 at the upper end thereof through a pipe 31 connected by a flexible tube 32 to a sup-ply pipe 33. A cap 34 closes the upper end of the rod 27 and the pipe 31 is provided with a swing joint 31a to permit rotation of the rod 27. The cooling fluid flows downwardly through the central duct of the stem 27 and then to the central ducts of the radiating arms. The central ducts ofthe radiating arms terminate short of the ends of the arms, so that the Huid flows outwardly at these points into the outside concentric ducts through which it returns back to the stem 27 and thence4 upwardly to the outlet spouts 35. 'lhe cooling i'luid flows outwardly through these spouts and downwardly into a collecting cup or vessel36 mounted around the stem 27 above the upper wall .14. An outlet pipe 37 extends downwardly from the cup 36, being provided with a valve 38 and a tee connection 39, and the lower end of this pi e communicates with an aperture 4() in the ower wall of the metal frame or casting 30. The water flows downwardly through the aperture 40 into a combined supporting and cooling bracket 41, wh1ch 1s provided at its lower part with a bearln portion 42 extending around the stem 2 some distance below the upper wall ofthe shell or casing 10. This bracket 41 is hollow' and is provided with a partition 43 which extends downwardly to the bottom thereof, so that the cooling fluid flows downwardly at one side of the partition. then around through the hollow bearing portion 42, and then upwardly at the other side of the partition, where'it passes through an opening int-o the drain channels 44 formed within the hollow frame or casting :50. These drain channels surround the bearing 29 and the walls of the hopper 17 in order to maintain these parts in a. cool condition, and the water then flows off by' gravity through an outlet pipe -46 from which it may be conducted downwardly into the water seal of the bed 11 or to any otherdesired place. In order to clean out the cooling bracket 41, the valve 38 may be closed and a steam pipe attached to the tee connection 39, so that a jet of steam can be blown through the hollow bracket.

For the purpose of rotating the stirring.

device 25 and reciprocating the same in a vertical direction, actuating mechanism is provided in connection with the upper part of the stem 27. This' actuating mechanism is carried by a supporting post or casting 50 which partially surrounds the stem 27, and the cup 36 being secured at its lowerl end to the plate 30 which is seated in the upper wall 14. The casting 50 carries at its upper end a horizontal plate 51 having a bearing 52, in which the rod 27 is journalled and the plate 51 has secured thereto a cup-shaped cover plate or housing 53 which carries another bearing 54 for the rod 27. Within the housing formed by the plate` 51 and the cover plate 53 are two ratchet wheels 55 and 56 having dit'- t'erent numbers ot teeth. The lower and smaller ratchet wheel 56, having the larger number of teeth, has a threaded engagement with the spiral groove or thread 57 which is formed in the stem 27. The upper and larger ratchet wheel 55 having the smaller numberl of teeth is splined on the rod by means of a key portion 55x slidably engaging a keyway 58 in the rod, so that the rotation of the ratchet wheel rotates the rod while permitting vertical movement thereof. The two ratchet wheels bear upon each other and are maintained between the bearings 52 and 54, so that rotation of the ratchet wheel 56 normally tends to cause a vertical movement of the stem 27. The ratchet wheels are rotated by suitable operating mechanism mounted on a table or plate 60 which extends outwardly from the plate 51. An electric motor, or the like, 61 is mounted on the table 60 and is con` nected through a shaft 62 with a speed changing device 63 having its shaft 64 connected to a crank shaft 65 mounted to rotate in bearings 66 carried by the plate 60. The crank shaft 65 has two crank arms, one crank arm being connected to a connecting` rod 67 which is pivoted at 68 to a rod 69, which slides in a sleeve 70, and is pivotally connected at its other end to a pawl 71 adapted to engage the teeth of the lower ratchet wheel 56, the pawl being normally forced into engagement with the teeth by a leaf-spring 72. The other crank arm ot' the shaft 65 is connected to another connecting rod 74 which is pivoted at 75 to a rod 76, which slides in a sleeve- 77 and is pivotally connected at its other end to a pawl 78 which is normally forced into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 55 by means of a leaf-spring 79. These pawls and connecting rods normally advance the ratchet wheel in an amount egual to the pitch of a. tooth in each cycle o the crank shaft 65. The` two bearing sleeves and 77 are formed on a bracket 51X which is mounted on the table or plate 51. The connecting rod 74 is made extensible by forming the rod in two sections 74 and 74", which are resiliently connected. These rods extend through the endwalls 80 of a cylinder 81, the one portion 74" being secured to one end wall, while the other portion 74a slides through the other end and is connected to its other end by a piston 82. A coil spring 83 is mounted between the piston 82 and one apertured end wall of the cylinder, so that when the resistance opposed to the turning of the ratchet wheel 55 is too great, the coil spring 83 will be compressed upon each rotation ot the crank shaft without causing reciprocation of the rod 76.

In the operation of the apparatus, the motor 61 drives the crank shaft 65 and thus operates the two pawls 71 and 78 which engage the teeth of the ratchet wheels 56 and 55, respectively, and cause them to rotate. While the lower ratchet wheel 56 is completing one revolution, the upper i ratchet wheel completes more than one revlll llt

olution, since the two pawls are actuated simultaneously, and the upper ratchet wheel comprises a lesser number of teeth. 'lhe more rapidv rotation of the upper ratchet wheel, whereby the rod 27 is rotated faster than the lower ratchet wheel, causes the rod to advance downwardly by reason of its threaded engagement with the lower ratchet wheel, thus forcing the radiating arms 26 downwardly along an arcuate path into yor through the fire-bed', at the same time that the arms rotate and distribute the fuel. ln case the arms 26, or the rings 28, become embedded in the fuel to such an ex! tent as to provide a relatively large resistance to the rotation of the stirring device, the upper ratchet wheel 55 remains stationary, and the portion'la of the connecting rod merely reciprocates in the cyl in-der 8l and intermittently compresses the spring'83. While the upper ratchet wheel 55 remains stationary, the lower ratchet wheel 56 continues to rotate, since the connecting rod 67 by which it is operated is of rigid construction. This causes the lower ratchet wheel 56 to advance on the threads of the rods 27, thereby elevating the stirring device through or away from the fuel bed until the resistance to the rotation thereof is decreased sutliciently to be overcome by the resistance of the spring 83, whereupon the upper ratchet wheel 55 will again begin to rotate, and will force the stirring device downwardly toward the fuel bed at the same time that the stirring device rotates. ln this way, the stirring device is automatically actuated to move the arms 26 through a circular zig-zag path due tothe alternate rising and falling of the arms. '.lhe stirring device thus automaticalbv overcomes the resistance to the rotation thereof, and the apparatus continues to operate and to distribute and solidify the fuel while at the same time tamping it down regardless of the condition of the lire-bed or of obstacles therein. During this operation, the stirring device is maintained in a substantially cool condition by the circulation of cooling iiuid therethrough, and the fuel which is discharged int-o the casing of the gas producer is directed toward the center of the stirring device to be thrown outwardly thereby. lf desired, the two ratchet wheels may rotate at the same speed or varied in size and number ofteeth to secure the most suitable mode of operation under particular conditions.

Although ll have shown and described a single embodiment of the invention for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various different forms without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

l. The combination in apparatus of the class described of a. shell, a fuel agitator in such shell, means to positively move said agitator downwardly along an inclined arcuate path into the fuel, said means being operative upon the JIprevention of further arcuate movement o such agitator by resistance thereto to move said agitator vertically upward.

2. The combination in apparatus of the class described of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell, a rotatable member operatively connected to said agitator to rotate the same, a second rotatable member operatively connected to said agitator to normally move it longitudinally of its axis of rotation, and operating means for simultaneously rotating said members.

' 3. 'lhe combination in apparatus of the class described of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell, a rotatable member operatively connected to said agitator to rotate the same, a second rotatable member operatively connected to said agitator to normally move it longitudinally of its aXis of rotation, and operating means simultaneously rotating said members, means associated with said driving means to automatically discontinue the rotation of said first named rotatable member when the resistance to the rotation of said agitator exceeds a predetermined limit.

4C. The combination in apparatusof the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell, means for rotating said fuel agitator, and means for moving said fuel agitator toward the fuel bed when said first-named means is in operation and for automatically moving said fuel agitator away from the fuel bed when the operation of said first-named means is arrested.

5. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having a' stem projecting therefrom, an operating member having a driving engagement with said stem lto rotate said fuel agitator, said stem being movable longitudinally with respect to said operating member, a second operating member having a threaded engagement with said stem, and means for simultaneously actuating said operating members.

6. rlhe combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator 'mounted in said shell and having a stem projecting therefrom, an operating member having a dri/ving engagement with said stem to rotate said fuel agitator, said stem being movable longitudinally with respect to said operatingl member, a second operating memberhaving a threaded engagement with said stem, means for -simultaneously actuating said operating members, and means for causing the operation of said rst named for llO

' operating member to be automatically arrested when the resistance to the rotation of said fuel agitator exceeds a predetermined limit.

7. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having a stem projecting*therefrom, an operating member having a:Y driving engagement with said stem to rotate said fuel agitator, said stem being movable longitudinally with respect to said operating member, a second operating member having a threaded engagement with said stem, and means for simultaneously rotating said operating members with different angular velocities.

8. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a. fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having a stem projecting therefrom, a ratchet wheel splined on said stem, a second 'atchet wheel having a threaded engagement with said stem, and means for simultaneously rotating said ratchet wheels at different speeds.

9. The eombinationin apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a. fuel agitator mounted rn said shell and having a stem projecting therefrom, a ratchet wheel splined on said stem, a second ratchet wheel having a threaded engagement with said stem, said ratchet wheels being provided with different numbers of teeth, pawls engaging said ratchet Wheels, and means for simultaneously operating said pawls.

10. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator m'ounted in said shell and having a. stem projecting therefrom, a ratchet wheel splined on said stem, a second ratchet wheel having a threaded engagement with said stem, said ratchet wheels being provided with different numbers of teeth, pawls engaging said ratchet wheels, a crank shaft mounted adj acent said ratchet Wheels, connecting rods extending from said crank shaft to said pawls, and a motor for operating said crank shaft.

11. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having a stem projecting therefrom, a ratchet wheel splined on said stem, a second ratchet wheel having a threaded engagement with said stem, said ratchet wheels being provided with different numbers of teeth, pawls, engaging said ratchet wheels, a crank shaft mounted adjacent said ratchet wheels, connecting rods extending from said crank sha-ft to said pawls,

a motor for operating said crank shaft, and a.

speed-reduca device between said motor and said cran shaft.

12. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having an operating rod extending vertically through the upper wall of said shell, said operating rod being provided with a spiral groove and a vertical keyway, a ratchet wheel having a part engaging said spiral groove, a second ratchet wheel having a part engaging said keyway, a housing for said ratchet wheels,

means carried-by said shell for supporting said housing, pawls engaging said ratchet wheels, and means for simultaneously actuating -said pawls.

'13. lThe combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having an operating rod extending vertically through the upper Wall of said shell, said ope 1ating rod being provided with a spiral groove and a vertical keyway, a ratchet wheel having a part engaging said spiral groove, a second ratchet wheel having a part engaging said keyway, a housing for said ratchet wheels, means carried by said shell for supportingr said housing, pawls engaging said ratchet wheels,'means for simultaneously actuating said pawls, said last-named means being adapted to permit the operation of said second-named ratchet wheel to bc arrested when the resistance to the rotation of said fuel agitator exceeds a predetermined limit.

14. The combination in apparatus of the class described, of a shell, a fuel agitator mounted in said shell and having an operating rod extending vertically through the upper Wall of said shell, said operating rod being provided with a spiral groove and a vertical keyway, a ratchet wheel having la part engaging said spiral groove, a second ratchet wheel having a part engaging said keyway, a housing for saidfratehet wheels, means carried by said shell for supporting said housing, pawls engaging said ratchet wheels, connecting rods operatively connected to said pawls, and means for operating said connecting rods, one of said connecting rods by which said second-named ratchet wheel is operated being provided with an adjustable attachment for pern'iitting the extension thereof when the resistance to the rotation of said second-named ratchet wheel exceeds a predetermined limit.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

HENRY A. DREFF EIN. 

